Cutting implement



June 8, 1943. F. J. ARDNER CUTTING IMPLEMENT Filed April 11', 1940 R s. l m M 1.2 7

Patented June 8, 1943 cUT'rTNe IMPLEMENT Frank J. Ardner, Highland Park, Mich., assignor to Leonard A. Young, Detroit, Mich.

Application April 11, 1940, Serial No. 329,045

(Cl. .3G-'70) partially broken away, of one form of blade 2 Claims.

This invention relates to safety razors such, for example, as those of the double edge or socalled Gillette type, and more particularly to improved multiple edged blades and holders therefor, for use in razors of the foregoing kinds.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved spring-like or flexible blade holder capable of receiving and releasably supporting along its side edges, a pair of double edged blades of improved design and construction and which are reversible and interchangeable independently of each other.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved holder and separate blades therefor in which each cf the blades has two cutting edges, and in which two such blades are adapted to be used at the same time with a single holder, thus making available for separate and interchange- Y able cutting edges as distinguished from commonly known blades of the double edge type which provide but two available cutting edges.

Another object is to provide a holder and blades therefor of the above character which are capable of being manufactured at relatively low cost from high grade steel stock, and in which L substantial savings from waste blade material are effected.

'A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved blade holder or clamp capable of being produced at relatively low manufacturing cost and one which is capable of repeated use and re-use over a long period of time with a large number of different blades of the foregoing character.

Another object of the invention is to provide: double edged blades of superior quality and of relatively small size, thus elmi'nating a substantial portion of the material heretofore required in the manufacture of known blades of the double edged type.

A further object is to provide an improved blade holder having spring-like means or members at its opposite side edges for receiving and firmly gripping and supporting a pair of double` edged blades which are independently reversible and interchangeable.

The above and other objects of the invention will appear from the following description and appended claims when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.

In said drawing:

Fig. 1 is a top plan View, partly in section and holder and blades embodying the invention and applied to a safety razor.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view, partly in elevation, taken substantially along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional View, partly in elevation, taken substantially along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of a razor blade holder and blades embodying that form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 3,inclusive.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along the line 5-5 of Fig. 4 in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 6 is a top 'plan view of a razor blade holder and blades of modified form shown applied to a safety razor of a somewhat different type from that of the preceding figure; and

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View taken substantially along the line 'l-'l of Fig. 6, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Before explaining in detail the present invention it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustratedin the accompanying drawing, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being `practiced or carried out in various ways. Also it is to be understood that the phraseology orterminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation, and

.it is not intended to limit the invention claimed herein beyond the requirements of the prior art.

Referring now particularly to Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive of the drawing, there is shown one form of safety razor blade holder and blades embody- .the present invention. In this form the holder and blades are designed for use with a safety razor or holder such for example as one of the well knownGillette types, which, as shown, comprises a handle A, a guard or base portion B and a cap C. The blade holder of the present invention is shown as a'wholeat D. The holder D releasably but firmly supports at its side edges individual double edged blades each of which is indicated as a whole at E. As seen in Fig. 2, the holder and its attached blades are held clamped inVv position between the Vguard of the razor and the cap therefor. As is usual in this type of razor the upper end of the' handle is provided with an internally threaded socket IIJ which is adapted to vreceive and support the lower'externally threaded end of a centrally disposedl stud I2 carried by the cap member. The 'cap member stud extends through a hole or opening formed in the guard or base portion B. A longitudinal recess or substantially U-shaped groove I I extends on opposite sides of the hole in the guard, which recess is adapted to receive a longitudinally extending ridge or inward projection I3 formed, asshown, as an integral part of the cap C. The parts herein described are secured together in operative relation by turning or screwing the handle A onto the threaded stud I2.

The razor blade holder D of the present form of the invention may be formed of any desirable material, such as stainless steel, or common steel, which may be chrome plated, it also being contemplated that brass or similar non-corrosive materials may be used for this purpose. As best seen in Figs. 1 and 4, the blade holder of the present form of the invention is provided with an elongated centrally disposed slot I4 whose central portion is enlarged to provide a substantially round opening I 5. The opposite side edges of the blade holder are in the form of a series of spring-like ngers I6 and I'I, the ngers I6, as shown, representing the top or upper lingers which are adapted to engage the upper side of the razor blades E and the alternate fingers I'I being the under or bottom ngers which are adapted to grip the underface or bottom portion of the blades. These fingers may be formed in any suitable manner and, as shown, are formed by mechanically perforating the blade in a direction longitudinally thereof adjacent its side edges to produce the perforations such as those shown at I3, the material of the blade also being removed to provide slots I9 which extend from the perforations to the extreme outer side edges of the blade. The outwardly extending or alternate fingers I6 and I1 extend in opposite directions with respect to the plane of the blade and may be formed in any desirable and convenient manner. It will be understood that the alternate fingers IIS and l? are spaced apart only sufliciently to permit the insertion therebetween of the blades E and that the fingers are formed of metal or other material which has the desired stiffness,

yet sufficient springiness or ilexibility, to permit them to receive the blades and rmly grip opposite faces of the body portions thereof to hold them securely in place in the holder. The longitudinal central slot I4 and the opening I5 formed in the holder are of theproper proportions to permit them to receive the rib or ridge I3 formed on the underface of the cap C as well as the stud I2 carried thereby. When the parts are assembled, it will be seen that the fingers I6 and I'I of the blade holder, as well as the blade, overlie the guard ngers 20 projecting from the opposite side edges of the base portion or guard B of the razor.

Referring particularly to the blades E which are preferably formed of Swedish steel, stainless steel, or the like, and which may be made in accordance with various known methods or processes for producing razor blades, the body or central longitudinal portion of each of the blades comprises an enlarged portion 2I which, as shown, is substantially diamond shaped in cross section with outwardly extending blade portions E2 terminating in sharpened edge or cutting portions 23. The enlarged portion 2I is preferably of such dimension that it increases the rigidity of the entire blade fand thus prevents undesirable warping or distortion of the cutting edge portions. As best seen in Fig. 5, the outer end portions of the upper and lower razor blade holder fingers I81and II, respectively, are shaped to conform to the outer surfaces or contour of the enlarged blade portions 2I so that when the blades are assembled with the holder they snugly fit within the ngers. The blades E may be assembled with the guard ngers in any convenient manner such as by aligning the enlarged body portions 2I of the blades with the openings or space between the spring-like gripping fingers and then sliding the whole blade longitudinally with respect to the holder until the blade is grippingly located in place therein.

By providing two double edged blades, it will be understood that the razor to which said blades are applied is always equipped with four available cutting edges. When one of the cutting edges loses its sharpness or, in other words, becomes dull, the blade may be removed from the holder and turned over so that its opposite cutting edge will be exposed and ready for shaving service. No matter how well razor blades may be manufactured, and regardless of the quality of steel of which they are made, each new package of blades is often likely to contain one or more blades having one or both of their cutting edges dull or not up to the usual standard or degree of sharpness required of a razor blade. Therefore, it is to be understood that if one of the blades applied to the razor happens to have a cutting edge which is relatively dull, that blade may have its position reversed in the holder to expose its opposite cutting edge without the necessity of discarding the entire blade. Thus, the attendant loss or Waste of material from dull cutting edges with my improved blades is substantially reduced over double edged blades of old and well known types. Moreover, by virtue of the present invention and the improved blades embodied therein, material savings in manufacturing costs, as well as reduced costs to the purchaser of the blades, are effected. It is to be understood that a single blade holder,

such as the holder D, will usually last as long as will the razor frame and handle. It is, therefore, ordinarily only necessary to purchase a single blade holder at the outset and to thereafter purchase only the separate blades used with that holder.

Referring now to Figs. 6 and '7 of the drawing, there is shown a blade holder and blades in which the blades are identical with the blades E of the precedingform of the invention and in which the blade holder itself is substantially the same except that it is made for use in connection with razors of the Gillette type but; of a slightly different style of that make. This particular razor has a base portion'or guard B and a cap or cover C between which the razor blade holder H is secured. The cap is provided with a centrally disposed stud 3!! the lower end of which is externally threaded to t into the internally threaded socket formed in the handle of the razor in a manner similar to the corresponding parts shown in Fig. 2. The cap C is also provided with a pair of depending stud members or pins 3| which are adapted to be received by sockets or recesses 32 formed in the guard B. Accordingly, as shown, the blade holder H is provided with similarly located holes or openings wliich are ofla slightly larger diameter than `the studs 30 and 3l so that the studs can be passed through the openings with ease and facility. In other respects the blade holder H and the double edged blades K of the present embodiment of the invention are substantially identical with the blades E of the preceding form of the invention.

While the separate blades E may be formed by `any desired method, I propose to utilize a round or hexagonal wire stock which is then attened and the cutting edges blanked out as by a rolling or stamping operation. In this way all of the metal of the initial stock is distributed in the blade blank in such a way that the cutting edges are formed by a honing or similar sharpening operation. It is therefore not necessary to grind the edges of the metal blank. This permits forming the nal cutting edge in the work hardened relatively dense skin portion of the blank.

I claim:

1. In a safety razor of the double edge type comprising a handle, a guard and a cap, the combination of a removable exible razor blade holder adapted to be clamped between the guard and the cap, said razor blade holder having blade gripping means disposed at its opposite side edges, said gripping means at each of the side edges of the holder comprising a plurality of alternately oilset spring ngers, each having olf-set portions forming longitudinal guides adjacent the ends of said fingers, and a double edged cutting blade removably secured in each of said blade gripping means, said blades each having an enlarged central longitudinally extending rib integral therewith and equally spaced in parallel relation to each of the double edges of the cutting blade, said rib being adapted for engagement in the off-set portion in said spring ngers and held thereby in predetermined alignment relative to said guard and cap thereby preventing the dulling of the cutting edge not intended for use and permitting a ready removal of the cutting bit from the holder to change said cutting bit.

2. A safety razor blade holder for razors of the double edge type and formed of relatively thin and flexible metal, said holder comprising a body portion and alternately off-set spring ngers arranged at the sides of the holder and forming a blade engaging and gripping means, and a pair of double edged cutting blades each comprising an elongate relatively thin narrow body portion having two cutting edges and a longitudinally disposed rib projecting from opposite faces of the blade body portion on a line substantially parallel to and equally spaced from each of said cutting edges, said longitudinally disposed rib being adapted to be engaged by the alternately off-set spring ngers to hold the blade in a removable engagement with the blade holder, the ribs on each side of each blade being substantially in cross section each having its apex extending outwardly from the blade body portion for engagement in off-set channel shaped portions provided adjacent the ends of said alternately off-set ngers.

FRANK J. ARDNER.

CERTFIcATE oF coRREcToN. Patent No. 2,521,550. June 8,*1915.

FRANK J. ARDNER.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring `correction as follows: Page 5,- secondcolumn, line 25, claim 2, after "substantially" insert the word tri angular; and tht the said Letters Pate/nt should be read with this correction therein that the same'may conform to the record of the case inthe Patent Office. V

Signed and sealed this rYth day of September, A. 1.3. l9l|..

Henry Van Arsdale, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

